GCSE grades and Oxbridge, how much does it matter?

[TokyoBouncyBall]

DD has what schools call 'a spiky profile'. She is very able, particularly in language based subjects but has ADHD and probable although undiagnosed dyscalculia.

She's doing exceptionally well in what will be her A Level subjects and has the potential to get A*s across the board. She's aiming for Linguistics at Uni and has already (in Yr11) read widely, listens to linguistics podcasts has entered the Linguistics Olympiad, is aiming to study in a bilingual city during the sixth form and wants to learn a Scandinavian language as a back up for historical linguistics. So, quite able and driven, borderline eccentric.

But her GCSE are going to be a mixed bag, with 6s and 7s in maths and science which she doesn't care for and finds harder.

She's not dead set on Oxbridge at the moment as she has yet to research the courses, but in advance of any questions, I'd like to know how much the GCSEs would affect an application for Linguistics . Because if she has no chance, then we won't encourage her. But it seems bananas that not getting a 9 in physics might debar her or stop her getting an interview (where I think she would do quite well, although of course I am biased).

Can any experienced people advise?

I would suggest she go to a few open days and ask the linguistics fellows what they would recommend. But to bear in mind to get a cross-section of opinion from other universities too - you may find Oxbridge slightly prefers Eng lit over Eng lang, but that linguistics courses at other universities might feel the opposite. (In general we are a bit less prescriptive about subject choices than you would think.)

@nightwakingmoon Will do, thank you. As things stand, English Language is what she's got her heart most set on.

(In general we are a bit less prescriptive about subject choices than you would think.) Good to hear this still applies. I read English at Cambridge having taken English Lit A Level but also Economics and double Maths. My friend read French, also with double Maths.

I would probably say that for linguistics Cambridge would prefer Eng lang, French and Philosophy or Eng lit, French and Philosophy. Just the double “Eng lit Eng lang” A-levels plus French would probably not give quite enough evidence of intellectual range.

The philosophy A-level would be a good preparation for linguistics (is it Philosophy or the RE A-level that some schools call philosophy?) In any case, I’d tend to suggest going with that, since a large proportion of the Cambridge course is linguistic theory of various kinds. Equally, it’s often key to linguistics to be able to combine English linguistics with knowledge of a second language linguistics, so I’d tend to say keep French.

I’m not in linguistics now but a cognate field - and I actually took a heavy proportion of linguistics papers in my Tripos way back when Linguistics only had a Part II (in fact I nearly did take the whole Linguistics Part II). So I can appreciate the appeal for your DD!

UCL has some fabulous Scandinavian lang & lit courses, if she decides to go down that route.
I also agree with the poster stating that A-levels+results+year off (improving lang. skills?) might be the way forward: it's awfully early to say anyone is A-level A* material pre-GCSEs.

Sorry to hijack the thread but I have a question for the linguistics gurus - my DD was previously thinking of PPL at Oxford (psychology and linguistics). She is now thinking of doing just linguistics, so Cambridge is now on the table. Could you advise on the suitability of her A level subjects please, for linguistics at Cambridge? She is doing Maths, Biology, Psychology, French. I suppose what I'm asking is, is that ok without English Lang? According to the website it is, but just wondering what those who have experience of studying linguistics think. I have a feeling that sometimes the published information does not always reflect reality - they might say you don't need a subject, but actually everyone who gets an offer has it, iyswim.

Also - she might continue with four, but might give up either Psychology or French - which of those do you think linguistics admissions (not just Cambridge) would prefer, along with Maths and Biology?

Thank you!

Not a linguistics guru, but I am an Oxbridge tutor and my daughter is studying Linguistics and German at Oxford (and do chat to colleagues in linguistics and related subjects). I have a pretty strong expectation that it genuinely would not be important to have English language A level to do linguistics. My daughter did English Literature, not Language (along with German, Art and AS Maths).

I also suspect that the admissions decision would be unlikely to hinge on whether she did French or Psychology. I think past grades, predicted grades, any aptitude tests, reference, interview would all be more important. Admissions criteria tend not to involve preferences for subjects unless those preferences are actually specified. We are not allowed to use criteria that we do not state! My hunch says it might be useful for the course to have studied another language to a more advanced level, and also to have an essay subject if the other A-levels are maths/science. But it is only a hunch!

Thank you so much @mast0650
That's really helpful